U.S. patent number 4,469,153 [Application Number 06/263,873] was granted by the patent office on 1984-09-04 for apparatus for mixing and dispensing liquids.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kidde, Inc.. Invention is credited to Milton J. Morrisette.
United States Patent |
4,469,153 |
Morrisette |
September 4, 1984 |
Apparatus for mixing and dispensing liquids
Abstract
Disclosed is a mixing and dispensing system including a tubular
housing with an inlet opening for receiving a first liquid
ingredient and a tubular casing for retaining a second liquid
ingredient to be combined therewith. A piston is longitudinally
movable in the tubular casing to force the second liquid through an
outlet opening that liquid tightly engages the inlet opening of the
tubular housing. Extending through an end of the tubular housing
opposite to the inlet opening is a rod having an inner end secured
to a seal mechanism for contacting the inlet to liquid tightly seal
the inlet opening. The rod also extends through and is
longitudinally movable within a passage in a plunger having an
outer periphery conforming to the inner walls of the tubular
housing. A coupling mechanism is operable to selectively secure the
plunger to the rod so as to provide common longitudinal movement
thereof.
Inventors: |
Morrisette; Milton J. (Ashland,
MA) |
Assignee: |
Kidde, Inc. (Saddle Brook,
NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
23003605 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/263,873 |
Filed: |
May 15, 1981 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/364; 366/256;
366/333; 92/255 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F
11/0082 (20130101); B01F 13/002 (20130101); B01F
15/0225 (20130101); B65B 3/12 (20130101); B01F
15/026 (20130101); B05C 17/00553 (20130101); B05C
21/00 (20130101); B01F 15/0237 (20130101); B01F
3/08 (20130101); B01F 15/0201 (20130101); B05C
17/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01F
13/00 (20060101); B01F 11/00 (20060101); B05C
21/00 (20060101); B05C 17/005 (20060101); B65B
3/12 (20060101); B65B 3/10 (20060101); B01F
3/08 (20060101); B01F 15/02 (20060101); B05C
17/01 (20060101); B65B 003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/9,1,18,27,382,363,364,365,366,382-386 ;92/255
;366/129,130,255,256,260,332,333,334,335 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Toupal; John E. Jarcho; Harold
G.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for combining, mixing and dispensing liquids, said
apparatus comprising:
a tubular housing with an inlet end defining an inlet opening;
a rod extending through an opposite end of said housing and
longitudinally movable therein, said rod comprising an elongated
rod portion having a length at least substantially as great as the
length of said housing;
a sealing means secured to for movement with an inner end of said
rod, said sealing means adapted to contact said inlet end and to
fluid tightly seal said inlet opening;
a plunger having an outer periphery conforming to an inner wall of
said housing, said plunger defining a passage providing a liquid
tight seal around said elongated rod portion while accommodating
said longitudinal movement thereof;
coupling means operable to secure said plunger to said rod for
movement therewith;
a tubular casing with an outlet end defining an outlet opening,
said outlet end adapted for liquid tight engagement with said inlet
end so as to provide communication between said outlet and inlet
openings and permit liquid flow out of said tubular casing into
said tubular housing; and
piston means comprising an outer periphery conforming to an inner
surface of said tubular casing and longitudinally movable
therein.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said elongated rod
portion comprises a smooth outer surface portion that slides freely
within said passage during said longitudinal movement thereof.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said coupling means
comprises a threaded portion of said rod adjacent to said sealing
means, and a corresponding threaded portion of said passage.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said sealing means
comprises a disc defining mixing openings for accommodating liquid
flow during said longitudinal movement of said rod.
5. Apparatus according to claim 2 including a handle means secured
to an end of said rod outside said tubular housing, and releasable
lock means for locking said rod in a closed position with said
sealing means contacting said inlet end of said tubular
housing.
6. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said inlet end comprises
a nozzle portion defining said inlet opening, and said nozzle
portion and said outlet opening are adapted for engagement in a
male-female relationship.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said sealing means
comprises a disc defining mixing openings for accommodating liquid
flow during said longitudinal movement of said rod.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said inlet end comprises
an annular conically shaped surface around said inlet opening, and
said disc defines a sealing surface portion for conforming
engagement with said conically shaped surface and a plug portion
for sealing engagement within said nozzle.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said coupling means
comprises a threaded portion of said rod adjacent to said sealing
means, and a corresponding threaded portion of said passage.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including a handle means secured
to an end of said rod outside said tubular housing, and releasable
lock means for locking said rod in a closed position with said
sealing means contacting said inlet end of said tubular
housing.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a stem extending
through an end of said tubular casing opposite said outlet opening
and an orifice in said piston, a closure means secured for movement
with an inner end of said stem and adapted to liquid tightly seal
said outlet opening, and a connector means operable to secure said
piston to said stem for movement therewith.
12. Apparatus according to claim 2 including a stem extending
through an end of said tubular casing opposite said outlet opening
and an orifice in said piston, a closure means secured for movement
with an inner end of said stem and adapted to liquid tightly seal
said outlet opening, and a connector means operable to secure said
piston to said stem for movement therewith.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said coupling means
comprises a threaded portion of said rod adjacent to said sealing
means, and a corresponding threaded portion of said passage.
14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said sealing means
comprises a disc defining mixing openings for accommodating liquid
flow during said longitudinal movement of said rod.
15. Apparatus according to claim 12 including a handle means
secured to an end of said rod outside said tubular housing, and
releasable lock means for locking said rod in a closed position
with said sealing means contacting said inlet end of said tubular
housing.
16. Apparatus for combining, mixing and dispensing liquids, said
apparatus comprising:
a tubular housing with an inlet end defining an inlet opening;
a plunger having an outer periphery conforming to an inner wall of
said housing, said plunger defining a central passage;
a rod extending through an opposite end of said housing and through
said passage and longitudinally movable therein, said rod
comprising a smooth outer surface portion that slides freely within
said passage and forms a liquid tight seal therewith during said
longitudinal movement;
a sealing means secured to for movement with an inner end of said
rod, said sealing means adapted to contact said inlet end and to
fluid tightly seal said inlet opening; and
coupling means operable to secure said plunger to said rod for
movement therewith.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said coupling means
comprises a threaded portion of said rod adjacent to said sealing
means, and a corresponding threaded portion of said passage.
18. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said sealing means
comprises a disc defining mixing openings for accommodating liquid
flow during said longitudinal movement of said rod.
19. Apparatus according to claim 16 including a handle means
secured to an end of said rod outside said tubular housing, and
releasable lock means for locking said rod in a closed position
with said sealing means contacting said inlet end of said tubular
housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a cable splice assembly and,
more particularly, to an electrical conductor cable splice
assembly.
Ends of electrical cables must often be spliced together in order
to complete electrical circuits connected to opposite ends of the
cables. Splices are used, for example, to join the ends of a cable
that has been inadvertently severed during work operations. In
addition, splices are often used to join a new cable length to an
existing cable in order to enlarge the area in which power is
available from an existing source. Although many techniques are
employed to splice electrical cable, distinct problems are
presented for those applications in which the cable is used in a
wet environment. In those instances, the exposed ends of joined
electrical conductors must be fluid tightly sealed with suitable
electrical insulation to prevent conductive moisture paths that
would constitute shock or electrocution hazards. Wet environments
requiring fluid tightly sealed splices are encountered, for
example, in many mining operations.
A known technique for creating fluid sealed splices entails the in
situ molding of an insulative material around the joined ends of
electrical conductors. According to one approach, a cylindrical
boot is first positioned over the ends of the joined cable and then
filled through a fill opening with a settable electrically
insulative resin compound. Problems associated with this technique
result from any failure to completely encapsulate the exposed
conductors and to create a fluid tight seal between the cylindrical
boot and the cable's insulative covering. This problem is
accentuated by the typically high viscosity of the resin compounds
utilized. Because of that factor and deficiencies in the
geometrical configuration of prior splicing boot assemblies, the
attainment of completely safe, fluid tightly sealed electrical
cable splices have involved very costly requirements of labor and
material.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide relatively
inexpensive, fluid tightly sealed splices of electrical cable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a system for combining, mixing and dispensing
liquids. Included in the system is a tubular housing with an inlet
opening for receiving a first liquid ingredient and a tubular
casing for retaining a second liquid ingredient to be combined
therewith. A piston is longitudinally movable in the tubular casing
to force the second liquid through an outlet opening that liquid
tightly engages the inlet opening of the tubular housing. Extending
through an end of the tubular housing opposite to the inlet opening
is a rod having an inner end secured to a seal mechanism for
contacting the inlet end to liquid tightly seal the inlet opening.
The rod also extends through and is longitudinally movable within a
passage in a plunger having an outer periphery conforming to the
inner walls of the tubular housing. A coupling mechanism is
operable to selectively secure the plunger to the rod so as to
provide common longitudinal movement thereof. The use of the mated
tubular housing and tubular casing facilitates the combination of
viscous liquids and the subsequent dispensing thereof into a
confined cavity.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rod comprises a
smooth outer surface portion that slides freely within the
plunger's passage during relative longitudinal movement
therebetween. A smooth rod portion facilitates exclusive movement
of the seal mechanism into sealing engagement with the inlet
opening after filling of the tubular housing with the first liquid
ingredient.
According to one feature of the invention, the seal mechanism
comprises a disc defining mixing openings for accommodating liquid
flow during longitudinal movement of the rod. After insertion of
the second liquid into the tubular housing and prior to operation
of the coupling mechanism, the sealing disc can be reciprocated to
induce mixing flow of the combined liquids through the mixing
openings.
Other features of the invention include the provision of a handle
secured to an end of the rod outside the tubular housing and a
releasable lock for locking the rod in a closed position with the
sealing disc contacting the inlet end of the tubular housing. The
handle is employed to produce reciprocating movement of the plunger
and sealing disc while the releasable lock prevents inadvertent
unsealing of the inlet opening prior to a time of intended use.
According to additional features of the invention, the coupling
mechanism comprises threaded portions on the rod and plunger and
the inlet end comprises a nozzle portion defining the inlet opening
and adapted for engagement with the outlet opening of the tubular
casing in a male-female relationship. These features simplify,
respectively, the activation of the plunger for longitudinal
movement with the rod and the sealing engagement between the
tubular housing and the tubular casing during the combination of
the plural liquid ingredients.
According to still another feature of the invention, the inlet end
of the tubular housing comprises an annular conically shaped
surface around the inlet opening and the sealing disc defines a
sealing surface portion that conforms thereto and a plug portion
adapted for sealing engagement within the nozzle. These structural
features help insure the formation of a fluid tight seal between
the sealing disc and the inlet end of the tubular housing.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tubular casing is
identical to the tubular housing except for the provision of a
modified snout that mates with the nozzle on the tubular housing.
In addition to simplifying manufacture of the dual tubular
elements, this features establishes for the tubular casing all of
the advantages described above in connection with the tubular
housing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and objects of the invention will become
more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first element of
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the element shown in
FIG. 2 with certain components in different positions;
FIG. 3 is a schematic end view of a sealing disc shown in FIGS. 1
and 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the element shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 and mated with another element of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view similar to that shown in
FIG. 4 but with certain components in different operating
positions; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view similar to that shown in
FIG. 5 but with the components in other operating positions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a mixing and dispensing unit 11 according
to the invention. The unit 11 includes a tubular housing 12 having
an inlet end 13 with a nozzle portion 14 that defines an inlet
opening 15. The opposite end of the tubular housing 12 is closed by
a cap assembly 16. Extending through the cap assembly 16 and
longitudinally movable within the tubular housing 12 is an
elongated rod 17. A handle 18 is attached to an outer end of the
rod 17 while a sealing disc 21 is secured to an inner end thereof.
Located within the tubular housing 12 and having spaced apart
annular ridges 22, 23 conforming thereto is a plunger 24. The
plunger 24 possesses a central passage defined by an annular seal
portion 26 and a threaded portion 27 axially aligned therewith.
Included along the surface of the rod 17 are an elongated smooth
portion 31 that is slidably accommodated by the plunger's seal
portion 26 and an externally threaded portion 32 located adjacent
to the sealing disc 21 and engageable with the threaded passage
portion 27. The cap assembly 16 includes a female part 33 of a
bayonet lock mechanism while a male portion 34 thereof is fixed to
the handle 18. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sealing disc 21
possesses a plurality of circumferentially distributed mixing
openings 41, a conically shaped surface 42 that conforms to an
inner surface of the inlet end 13 of the tubular housing 12 and a
centrally located plug portion 43 that enters into and produces a
fluid tight seal with the inlet nozzle 14.
The unit 11 is preferably used for mixing and dispensing hard
setting polymer materials such as liquid epoxies and liquid
catalysts therefor. Initially, the nozzle 14 of the tubular housing
12 is inserted into a supply nozzle 46 of a vessel 47 filled with a
liquid substance 48. The handle 18 and the rod 17 then are pulled
away from the tubular housing 12 moving the plunger 24 and the
sealing disc 21 from the positions shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1
to the positions shown by solid lines therein. This movement of the
plunger 24 creates a suction that draws liquid 48 from the vessel
47 through a check valve 50 in the supply nozzle 47 and into the
tubular housing 12. When the plunger 24 has reached the position
shown in FIG. 2 and corresponding to the entry of a desired
quantity of the liquid 48, the threaded portions 27 and 32 are
disengaged by rotation of the rod 17. During this operation, the
frictional pressure exerted between the sealing ridges 22, 23 and
the inner surface of the tubular housing 12 prevent rotation of the
plunger 24. After decoupling of the rod 17 and the plunger 24, the
handle 18 is pushed inwardly moving the sealing assembly 21 into
engagement with the end 13 of the tubular housing 12 as shown in
FIG. 2. During this movement of the sealing disc 21, the liquid
within the tubular housing 12 passes through the mixing openings
41. Ejection of liquid through the inlet opening 15 during movement
of the disc 21 is prevented by the check valve 50. After the
sealing disc 21 has reached its sealed position, the handle 18 is
rotated to engage the bayonet lock components 33, 34 and thereby
insure maintenance of the sealed condition.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the unit 11 is shown connected to a second
unit 51 of the invention. The unit 51 includes a tubular casing 52
having an outlet end with a nozzle portion 54 that defines an inlet
opening 55. The opposite end of the tubular casing 52 is closed by
a cap assembly 56. Extending through the cap assembly 56 and
longitudinally movable within the tubular casing 52 is an elongated
rod 57. A handle 58 is attached to an outer end of the rod 57 while
a sealing disc 61 is secured to an inner end thereof. Located
within the tubular casing 52 and having spaced apart annular ridges
62, 63 conforming thereto is a piston 64. The piston 64 possesses a
central passage defined by an annular seal portion 66 and a
threaded portion 67 axially aligned therewith. Included along the
surface of the rod 57 are an elongated smooth portion 71 that is
slidably accommodated by the plunger's seal portion 66 and an
externally threaded portion 77 located adjacent to the sealing disc
61 and engageable with the threaded passage portion 67. The cap
assembly 56 includes a female part 73 of a bayonet lock mechanism
while a male portion 74 thereof is fixed to the handle 58.
Corresponding components of the units 11 and 51 are identical
except for the nozzle 14 and the snout 54. As shown, the inside
diameter of the snout 54 conforms to the outside diameter of the
nozzle 14 so as to create a fluid tight male-female engagement
therebetween. Unit 51 is filled with a suitable liquid curing agent
78 in the same manner that the unit 11 is filled with the base
liquid 48.
When the liquid substances 48 and 78 are to be combined and used,
the units 11 and 51 are engaged as shown in FIG. 5. The handle 58
is then manipulated to disengage the lock components 73 and 74
after which the stem 57 is withdrawn from the tubular casing 52
until the closure 61 engages the piston 64. Those components are
then connected by rotating the stem 57 to engage the threaded
portion 72 of the stem 57 with the threaded portion 67 of the
piston 64. Next the handle 18 is manipulated to disengage the
bayonet lock components 33 and 34 and the rod 17 is withdrawn until
the sealing disc 21 engages and moves the plunger 24 into the
position shown in FIG. 6. Next the handle 58 is forced inwardly
moving the interconnected stem 57, closure 61 and piston 64 toward
the outlet opening 55. This movement of the piston 64 forces the
liquid 78 out of the tubular casing 52, through the outlet and
inlet openings 55 and 15 and into the tubular housing 12. After
total evacuation of the tubular casing 52, the handle 58 is again
manipulated to engage the bayonet lock components 73 and thereby
secure the closure 61 in sealing engagement over the outlet opening
55. Mixture of the liquid ingredients 48 and 78 is accomplished as
shown by dashed lines in FIG. 6 by operating the handle 18 to
reciprocate the sealing disc 21 within the tubular housing 12
between the plunger 24 and the inlet end 13.
After sufficient mixing of the ingredients 48 and 78, the handle 18
is fully withdrawn to engage the sealing disc 21 with the plunger
24. Rotation of the rod 17 then produces engagement between the
threaded portions 27 and 32 and thereby secures the plunger 24 to
the rod 17 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. After disengagement of
the units 11 and 51, the nozzle 14 is inserted into the inlet of a
cavity in which the combined liquids are to be injected. Finally,
the handle 18 is pushed inwardly causing movement of the rod 17 and
attached sealing disc 21 and plunger 24 toward the nozzle 14 and
resulting in ejection therefrom of the entire liquid content within
the tubular housing 12.
It will be appreciated that the force amplification provided by the
piston 64 and the plunger 24, respectively, greatly facilitates
first the transfer of the liquid 78 from the unit 51 to the unit 11
and subsequently the transfer of the combined and mixed ingredients
48 and 78 into a confined cavity (not shown). A suitable cavity
forming unit for receiving the discharge from the tubular housing
12 is disclosed in the applicant's co-pending application entitled
"Electrical Cable Splice" which was filed concurrently with this
application and is commonly assigned therewith.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be
understood, therefore, that the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described.
* * * * *